Plant-based Adventures: Central Florida

Food options: 4/5

Restaurants visited: Screaming Goat Taqueria, Fresh Kitchen, Oak & Stone, Halelife Bakery, and Florish

A week in Tampa and Sarasota was just enough time to squeeze in a few restaurants after long work days. There was plenty of variety, and I appreciated that so many places had more than 1 vegan option on their menus. It made it easy to go out with others and enjoy some delicious food.

The first stop on this Central Florida food tour was Screaming Goat Taqueria in Sarasota. These tacos were flavorful and filled with different textures, and the sides were good. The agua fresca was hands down my favorite, and I would absolutely buy it by the gallon if I lived closer.

Hibiscus Ginger Agua Fresca, Curried Sweet Potato and Latin Falafel Tacos, Chips, Beans, and Rice

If it has mushrooms, I’m probably going to order it. The name of this pizza at Oak & Stone - Fun Guy - caught my eye, but I was sold when I saw it had roasted cremini and oyster mushrooms. They were very accommodating, and I removed the roasted garlic sauce that had dairy and was able to replace the parmesan with vegan mozzarella. The freshness of the arugula mixed with savory herbs and mushrooms made this a delicious dinner.

Fun Guy Pizza

Fresh Kitchen offered so many choices to build a nourishing bowl of plant-based goodness. My veggies were seasoned well and paired great with brown rice and kale slaw. But the real stars of the bowl were the housemade sauces. I would absolutely pour the holy kale over everything.

Brown rice, Kale Slaw, Lemon Garlic Broccoli, Basil Mushrooms, Golden Spice Chickpeas, Maple Sweet Potatoes, and Herb Balsamic Vinaigrette & Holy Kale Sauces

My favorite stop in Tampa was Florish, and I tried a little bit everything. I started with wedges that were seasoned well and had a little touch of heat. The ginger-lime rice and roasted chimichurri cauliflower really stood out in the bowl. My pizza had tons of flavor, and the housemade ricotta was some of the best vegan ricotta I’ve ever had.

Craft Your Own Pizza Veggie Pizza

Loaded Wedges

Sun Goddess Bowl

It’s the best feeling when I can order without having to overthink ingredients. So I was very excited for the last stop on my food tour at Halelife Bakery- a vegan and gluten-free bakery. I couldn’t resist donuts and a cookie.

Cinnamon Toast Crunch & Strawberry Cheesecake Donuts

Cranberry Orange Shortbread